Welcome to the first Universally Amber Q&A post! Questions answered in these posts are questions submitted through my website or social media, so please ask away!
"What is the best resort to book at Universal? What are the packages that are offered through that specific resort?"
Thanks for your questions Hailey!
The first piece of this submission is pretty subjective, but in my opinion the best resorts to stay at are the Hard Rock Hotel and Lowes Royal Pacific Resort. I love the theming of the Hard Rock Hotel. Classic rock memorabilia is scattered throughout every inch of the hotel. Suits from the icons themselves are on display in the hallways, one of the main chandeliers is made of saxophones, and the hotel pool has underwater speakers! You can even rent a guitar to your room, just like room service. The Polynesian themed Lowes Royal Pacific Resort screams relaxation as soon as you walk in the door. Be greeted by a lei and the beautiful elephant fountain at check-in, and that's only the beginning of the leisure vibes at this hotel.
The main reason these hotels are at the top of my list are because they are premier level hotels. This does mean they are more pricey than the other hotels on property, but Universal Express Unlimited is included for each guest in the room for the length of the stay! This is an especially good perk if going during the busy season as the crowd levels and express pass pricing will be higher. These hotels also include early park admission, water taxi access, and merchandise delivery to your room if purchased on property. You have the option to upgrade your room to club level, which gives exclusive access to the club of the respective hotel.
"Can you use your fast passes everywhere in the park? Are there limits on how often you can use them?"
Great questions, thanks for reaching out!
I have a recent blog post, What to Know Before You Go, that touches on this topic. Here is a brief overview:
Unfortunately, Universal Express Pass is not accepted at all attractions within the parks. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Pteranodon Flyers are excluded from Universal Express Pass.
Universal Express Pass can be used once per participating attraction for the date of the ticket. Universal Express Pass Unlimited can be used an unlimited number of times for participating attractions for the date of the ticket.
Universal Express Pass can be single park or park-to-park, which would include both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Universal Express Pass for Volcano Bay is sold separately.
"Could you tell me the best order to go through Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley with experiences?"
Thank you for your question!
This is a really great but really loaded question. I could give itineraries for every piece of Universal Orlando Resort, with details all the way down to the best bathrooms on property (yes, some are better than others). however, I've found the best way is to know what your highlights are, then go with the flow. Your "flow" will be different depending on the day of the week, the weather, the time of the year, and your personal preferences. However, I'll give you a walk through of my favorite way to experience this area of Universal Studios Florida.
If you want pictures, do this first. This is the busiest area of the park and it's where everyone will be going first. Get there early when the area will be the most empty for the best chance of good pictures. This includes pictures of the dragon, which breathes fire every 10 to 15 minutes (listen for the growl, then get ready) assuming there is no heavy wind or inclement weather. If you want to complete the interactive wand experiences, grab your wand and get started! There will be a line quickly, so this is another early thing to get done. The food and merchandise lines will get long, but these are best for last. Take your time choosing the right flavor of ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour and make sure you pick the perfect house merchandise. Don't miss Knockturn Alley! In the summer, this is a great, cool place to rest and wander.
As for the two rides, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and the Hogwarts Express, keep checking your Universal Orlando app for the wait times. Everyone has a preference for how long they're willing to wait, so take advantage of the wait time alerts and set the alert for your preferred wait time. I don't mind waiting in line a little longer for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts because I really enjoy the theming of the queue line. I have less of a threshold for waiting longer for the Hogwarts Express, but that is purely preference.
Have any burning questions? Submit through the Universally Amber website or on social media posts for a chance to be featured.
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